#8 Minute Read.
Osteoarthritis commonly abbreviated to OA, is a degenerative and unfortunately, uncurable disorder. OA affects the cartilage between the joints and subsequently, affects the tendons, ligaments, capsules, muscularture, synovial membrane and bones. When attempting to understand the cause of OA, a statement to remember is this ‘it is abnormal loading of a normal knee or normal loading of an abnormal knee’. Take some time to process that statement; it’s fairly self-explanotory right?
What is Knee OA?
OA is a degenerative disorder in which the cartilage between the knee is worn out. There are various causes for knee OA however, it most commonly is due to age. When the cartilage is worn out, it increases the contact between the bones leading to slight fissures. The synovial fluid then can leak into these fissures causing inflammation of the bone and the formation of ‘osteophytes’. This is a vicious cycle which continues the worse the condition. The tendons around the area thicken to increase the stifness and thus, provide stability.
It’s not all bad news.
Although, OA is a degenerative and incurable disorder, you are able to manage OA conservatively through exercise intervention and manual therapy.
– Here are some general advice that you can use:
- Heat or ice depending on the symptoms you are experiencing and the duration of the injury. Heat can help the muscles relax and reduce stiffness. Ice can help reduce pain and swelling that may be present.
- Regular land-based exercise can be beneficial such as walking, yoga, cycling and general knee exercises ie, knee flexions, extensions and hip mobility.
- Soft tissue mobilisation is advised to help passively and actively relax tight muscles and improve circulation.
To conclude, OA can be concerning however, all is not lost. With the right intervention and rehabiliation plan the pathologies can be managed.
If you are suffering from OA Knee or any other issues, feel free to contact us by email, phone, contact form or our social medias.
The path to recovery begins with you,
M.Zia
